The cat Luffar-Lasse from Trollhättan has become a success on social media and in the parking lot outside the shopping center that he visits daily to be cuddled. Now he takes the next step in his career when he is honored with his own statue.
– The most important thing is to capture the cozy persistent wandering gaze, says Ellen Ljungqvist, mosaic artist
Trollhätte resident Luffar-Lasse walks two kilometers to a shopping center every day and then hitchhikes home. He is not only popular in his home town but has also raised close to 2 million for charity in Musikhjälpen and has over 70,000 followers on Facebook. He is now also celebrated by the municipality with his very own roundabout cat.
Ellen Ljungqvist is in the process of creating the statue, which she builds from glass mosaic pieces. The head is completely finished and now she is building the legs.
– You could say it’s a huge 3D puzzle. The construction is like an outdoor swimming pool but in the shape of a cat, says Ellen Ljungqvist.
“Spreading so much love”
The mosaic artist spent a whole week on the face, which she thinks is the most important part of the statue.
– The most important thing was to capture that cozy persistent wandering gaze, she says.
In order to make the statue, Ellen Ljungqvist has had to meet and photograph Luffar-Lasse, but she has had the most help from the star’s own Facebook group.
– There it is peppered with pictures, so I could pick as much as I wanted from all possible angles and directions, she says.
After meeting Luffar-Lasse, Ellen Ljungqvist really understands why he is so popular.
– It’s the coziness, he spreads so much love, she says.